The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-07

L
how much Of Mother Ewes. weakness
she had inherited.
"lts dear, delicious old houser'
thought she. Sand I'm determined to
find out every nook and corner in it.
OF course there is some handsome young
Farmland about for me 10 practice on,
| until l scrape acquaintance with the
| doctor and the parson, and all that set.
I'm sure Aunt Willow is a miser, with
lot Of gold and jewelry hidden away
somewhere. I'm sure there's myster-
ious secret concealed in one of those
rooms that she keeps locked up in the
second story. And I'm morally certain
that there's ghost IN the cellar, or q
phantom in the garrett Aunt Willows
D horrid disagreeable old thing, she
has never once alluded to my eyes or
praised my complexion since l have
been here; but, never mind, am deter
mined to make my way into her good
graces!''
Thus Lefty laid siege to Fortress VIII
low.
1t was the third night after her ar
rival. She and Miss Willow had differ
ed in some important particulars, and
Lefty, who was used to being spoiled
and petted, and having her own way,
had gone upstairs in high dudgeon,
slammng the door behind her.
"She don't like it." observed Aunt
Willow to herself. ''Well, she'll have
to, that's allr'
And the old lady tied her bald-eagle
head up in red-silk pocket-handker-
chief, and made prompt and exhaustive
preparations for going to bed.
She had just finished, and was about
to quit the room, when the sound of a
fearful shrek rent the silence, and Lefty
came rushing into her presence.
Whats the matterP" said Miss Will
low.
She was nervous and she didn't like
her nerves to be lightly upset.
'It's IA manw gasped Lefty, with
wide-open eyes and cheeks as pale as
ashes. ':And he has committed suicide!
He has hanged himself in the Red
Chamber, that opens out of the little
square hall"
Miss Willow had given little start at
first, but she speedily recovered her
mental balance.
.'Oh, indeedr' she said. "And what
business. may ask, had you in the
Red Chamber, that l always keep lock-
edp''
Come, GOMEZ gasped Lefty. 'Oh.
let someone cut the poor creature down!
Atrocious wretchr' vigorously shaking
Miss Willow by the shoulder, "what
dark conspiracy is this?"
'.Hoity-toityr' screeched Miss Will
low. WHATS all this aboutp Didn't
you ever hear. young woman, of the
person who got rich by minding his
own business?'
But, nevertheless, she allowed her.
self to be dragged by main force up the
narrow winding stairs to the wide-open
door of the Red Chamber, which had
hitherto been a sort of Bluebeard
apartment sealed against Letty's cur
ious eyes by incorporating lock and
key.
,"rhere!" gasped Lefty, breathless and
pallid. ''therer'
"Yes. see," said Miss Willow COM
posedly adjusting her spectacles aoross
the BFfdge OF her nose.
"Won'tyou lift a finger to help himp"
cried Lefty. Wont you cut him DOWN."
"What forP" demanded Miss Willow.
"What in the name of creation should l
cut down my old scarecrow forp ! stuff
ed him up with a mask, and an old
hat, and one of Grandfather Willows
suits, to keep the crows out of the spring
corn. and just hung him here until
the winter wheat came round; and il
you had kept your nose out of other
peoples rooms, you never would have
taken him for suicide"
Lefty crimsoned and shrank away.
OF all things. she disliked being put in
ridiculous light
"Now, see here" croaked Aunt Will
low, looking more like ruffied bird of
prey than ever; "I've had enough of
this, and I've had enough of you. /
sent Nil Kaye away because she pre-
sumed to have a lover. was sick, and
sent for DR., Percy. and DR.. Percy had
the impuIcnce to fail in love with Neil.
But I'd rather have her, lover and all,
than keep you about the place. You're
sly and scheaming, and I've seen through
you from the very beginning! Now,
just you pack up your things to morrow
morning. and take the train back to
London, or Kamschatka, or wherever
you please, so that il is away from herel
Pi.have no more suicides discovered in
this housem
And there was nothing left for Lefty
Price but to obey.
She went back. sorety crestfallen. to
the shop in Grand street; and Helen
Kaye. without either beauty or witchery.
fell heiress both to the lover and the
old aunt's affection.
Nell Kaye is honest" said Miss Will
low; there's that to be said about her.
Such mean trick of Lefty Prices to
try all the keys in the house till she
found one that would open the Red
Chamber! What was she expecting to
discover, wonderp I've often thought
that Bluebeard wasn't SO much to blame
as folks said"
The BuOyancy or Reindeer Skin.